Chapter Text
Edgeshot sat dutifully at the door of hime's room. It was designed to be impenetrable. But one could not be too careful in a world where impossible powers were the norm.
Case and point, he could flatten himself thin enough to enter her room in case of an emergency. Or if it was required by her "ill" father. With his need of equipment to keep him healthy, along with his training of his successor, he hardly had time in the day to personally check on his little girl.
It did not bother Shinya, the life of a king was busy. There was far too much to do. That's why they had trusted servants to serve and protect when they were focused on the larger scale. He pulled himself from his thoughts as he heard footsteps approaching. Not the clean, heavy and methodical steps of the master, but the rushed, uneven steps of his successor.
With practiced ease, he pulled his blade from its' sheath.
He knew this dance well.
"Edgeshot."
"Shigaraki."
"Move."
"You may walk around, but I am to remain here to protect."
Shigaraki scratched at his neck in irritation.
"You think you can keep Sensei's daughter away from me? We're practically family."
Shinya was undeterred.
"If Master wanted you to have access to Hime's room, he would have alerted me."
"Well, Sensei is having an appointment. Which means that both hime and I have time to play some games."
"Hime does not need to play games with a lowly general," he said as he rose to his feet, his blade poised to strike Shigaraki if needed. It didn't matter if he harmed the scarred man. Hime's safety was far more important than the childish whims of this man. Even if it cost him his life, he was devoted to protecting Master's daughter. Even from the Master's own men.
The two stood glaring at one another in contempt and severe dislike. One to defend, and one to attack.
Shigaraki made the first move, his speed being his second greatest advantage. Shinya elegantly avoided Shigaraki's hand, his blade making a clean cut up his arm. To his credit, Shigaraki did not flinch at the wound, just let a manic smile come over his face.
"Oh, you'll be sorry you did that Edgeshot."
"If it protects hime, then there is nothing I am sorry for."
The two continued their clash outside the vault door, their leader's daughter inside, unaware of what was happening.
Izuku sat on her bed brushing her hair. Her wild curls softening slightly as she made each stroke.
She didn't really care for hair care, rather have it cut and kept short, but Shi-Edgeshot, had not allowed her to cut her hair, insisting that there was no need for it to be so short when she would be safe inside the "garden".
And what a "garden" it was. The ceiling was painted to look like the sky, the floor made to feel like grass, and every item in the room, painstakingly painted to look like flowers and ivy, or in the case of the canopy bed, rose covered lattice with butterflies and dragonflies sitting on the occasional flower. Everything had to be soft and safe within the "garden".
Well, there was also the fact that she wasn't to be trusted with sharp objects unsupervised according to Edgeshot's master.
A towering man with only half a face, insisting that she was his daughter, his pride and joy, his little lotus blossom.
He was insane.
Her mother told her about her father. A business man with a fire breathing quirk and wild curls. He was kind of plain and very clutzy. It was how he ended up meeting his mother after all.
He fell from a balcony and landed right in front of her. Of course, her mother took him to the hospital where he had been checked over and found to have a broken tail bone.
The rest was history.
There was no way that the large man who came in to visit her could be her dad.
She continued to brush her hair, trying to distract herself from the confusing conundrum that was the delusional man.
Besides, if she brushed her hair well enough... then perhaps Edgeshot wouldn't insist on assisting her in its' care.
If there was one thing she hated more than anything in this small "garden", it was when her "caretakers" would have her sit at the vanity mirror above the desk and brush her hair out in slow, methodical strokes. They would tilt her head up so she would look in the mirror. So she would look at them. So they could see her face and ill hidden emotions. They liked to see her face. They commented how much they wanted to see her smile, to be happy.
And to her dismay, Edgeshot normally was able to get at least one smile out of her. Having once been her friend, as imaginary as she thought he was, he knew far more about her than the other man.
She paused her strokes when she saw the all to familiar vortex of Kurogiri appear near the vanity. Food and drink were deposited gingerly on the table as the full form of the gaseous man appeared. In his hand were a pair of chopsticks.
"It's time for breakfast," he said in a calm tone. Izuku stood from the bed and made her way over. She knew the rule regarding food. Whoever delivered it would remain in the "garden" until she was finished with her meal. Whoever brought the meal would have say when she was finished. Kurogiri was straightforward with his help in her diet. He would let her decide when to stop so long as she made an effort to eat what she could. He didn't fuss when she ate less, her own nerves making her feel ill. He didn't try to coax her into "just a few more bites".
As she sat to eat, she saw, in the corner of her mirror, Edgeshot slipping under the near impenetrable vault door.
"Kurogiri. Deal with your ward. He's throwing a tantrum."
"I am to remain while she eats," Kurogiri responded neutrally.
"I will watch Hime. She's my responsibility. You take care of your ward."
A lump formed in Izuku's throat. No. No she wanted Kurogiri to stay. He was better than Edgeshot. Alas, she couldn't seem to get the words out in her own anxiety.
"Very well. Remember to return to dishes once she is done."
With that, he disappeared, leaving Izuku alone with her once "imaginary" friend. Edgeshot walked over to Izuku, taking a seat on the grassy ground.
"You should eat your breakfast Hime. It's the best way to start your day."
Izuku looked down at the rice porridge in front of her. At least it was something easy to eat. She took a small first bite.
Just like she did whenever Edgeshot was watching her eat.